Dude, don’t be a bully to your inner child

Dude, don’t be a bully to your inner child

“The earlier you learn that you should focus on what you have, and not obsess about what you don’t have, the happier you will be. You really will be happier in life if you can let go of the things you will never have.” – Amy Poehler

She talks of gratitude for what our bodies do for most of us, like digest food, run up a mountain, breathe or connect with others. And focusing on the positives instead of obsessing over things we can’t change. Of course some stuff we can change to some extent, (weight, clothes, hair) but it’s always better and healthier to come from a place of acceptance and love for yourself than hatred and oppression.

Okay Amy doesn’t mention the ‘inner child’, but I believe that in everyone there’s like two people, two opposing forces (the inner child and inner adult) and there’s sometimes bullying and conflict between them which effects both parts of you. This happens because of negative thoughts and beliefs about yourself. Both parts are unhappy, the inner adult doesn’t get any satisfaction out of bullying the inner child, it’s disappointed and expecting too much, and the inner child feels shit because it’s abused all the time by the inner adult. It’s a bad situation, but there’s ways to get out of it. First of all, be a good friend to yourself and have your own back, don’t bully yourself – you wouldn’t bully a friend like that would you? And a wise woman once told me, that whenever I feel negative towards myself and I bully myself with thoughts, to imagine me saying those things or physically beating up a young child version of myself and watching her bleed and cry, and hopefully this induces feelings of wanting to not hurt your inner child and protect, nurture and love it instead. You’re hurting the most vulnerable part of yourself with these damaging thoughts. The innocent, vulnerable, open, free child version of you is still in you and always will be, we all began with the child and it never grows up, we just acquire a new self too, the adult.

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I hope this had some value to you, and your mind is more full of meaningful, thought provoking stuff. What’s your opinion on the subject?Follow my blog by email on the top right hand side, and get weekly inspiration, videos, quotes and resources on thinking, questioning, growing and learning about yourself, others, life and the world.